There’s more cause for celebration in New Zealand, with a second bishop ordained in quick succession. Bishop Michael Dooley is a local boy who has swapped his farmer’s crook for a bishop’s crosier. Across the Tasman in Australia, Cardinal George Pell has been ordered to stand trial on historical sexual offences, making him the highest-ranking cleric to be charged. The Cardinal entered his “not guilty” plea in a clear and firm voice. In the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte has chosen to unleash his power on an Australian religious sister, who has been speaking up on behalf of the poor and the marginalised. Meanwhile, the bishops of Oceania — Australia, New Zealand and many Pacific island nations — have also called for protection for those who are in danger, including from climate change. All in a month’s work for the panel of Anna, James and Gavin on The 15th Station.

Pope Francis has issued his third apostolic exhortation, calling on people to consider how they can lead a life of holiness under the title of (in English) “Rejoice and Be Glad”. There’s not much rejoicing in New Zealand, as child abuse again dominates headlines, but an investigation in that country appears set to exclude churches from its scope, despite Catholic and Anglican leaders calling for their inclusion. Back in Rome, a gathering of young people has produced a document that — to a large extent — calls for the Church to better explain why it believes what it believes. In the US, Facebook has acknowledged some errors in deleting Catholic content, while in Brazil, it is others who are calling out the errors of the ways of a parish that went a bit overboard in modernising the liturgy. Join Anna, James and Gavin for a journey through a month of Catholic news and insights.

It’s been a manic first (almost) month in the Trump presidency, and the US bishops have been both praising and criticising the President. In Australia, the bishops have been more focused on repentance, as damning statistics emerge about the extent of sexual abuse in the Church there. Back in New Zealand, there’s more analysis of the changing religious landscape and, internationally, there’s conjecture about a new translation of the Mass. But what would Jesus tweet? Catholic comedian Stephen Colbert offers his thoughts. Join Don, James and Gavin for the latest episode of The 15th Station.

Pope Francis has expressed optimism that 2017 can be a good year while also acknowledging the deadly start to the year in Turkey and the challenge of people embracing peace and rejecting hatred. The Pope has also called for bishops to redouble their efforts in stamping out child sexual abuse in the Church. The Vatican is looking to strengthen ties with China, but China has its own views of how the Church should be allowed to operate in the Communist country. Cardinal John Dew wants to strengthen the Church’s ties with young people, showing them what a life in service of others can offer. In Sri Lanka, a Christmas carol service offered something a bit different, with the wrong Hail Mary lyrics printed in the hymn booklet. Join Don, James and Gavin for another wide-ranging episode of The 15th Station.

Somewhat recurrent themes on The 15th Station — clerical abuse and the state of the US presidential race — show their face again in this month’s episode. Pope Francis has taken steps to make the removal of negligent bishops more straightforward, despite some counter-productive efforts in the US on statutes of limitations. Former NZ Prime Minister Helen Clark says the country offers a model for religious tolerance at about the same time Donald Trump is accused of lacking in that virtue. The holiness of a French priest who served in New Zealand and the humour of Jim and Jeanne Gaffigan might save us.

Pope Francis can’t seem to stay out of the headlines, but it’s mostly for positive reasons that he’s in the media in the first place. Pope Francis’s gesture — which he says wasn’t political — to bring 12 Syrians back to Rome from the Greek island of Lesbos captured headlines and people’s hearts. His call for tough action on paedophiles was well received, but many want actions rather than words. The new Filipino president’s words, including a pretty unkind swipe at Pope Francis, were also in the news, as was discussion of women deacons. But was the media coverage more hopeful than truthful? Check out a transcript of what the Pope actually said. Maybe James, Don and Gavin could get more information from the Pastafarian lovebirds married in New Zealand. Yes; you read that correctly. Enjoy the show.

The Pope’s apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia leads off this month’s episode and — spoiler alert — there are some strong feelings on the document. Pope Francis’s Holy Thursday initiative to wash the feet of refugees of different faiths and the possible Royal Commission into child sexual abuse in New Zealand also feature, and Don, James and Gavin have a mix of sadness and support for the closure of three parishes in Dunedin. Maybe if they’d been receiving tithes via a new app, the parishes could’ve stayed open. Just joking. Mostly. Enjoy the show.

In this month’s episode, the upcoming papal encyclical on ecology and the environment, to be released on June 18, takes top billing. As Vatican-watcher John Allen points out, there are likely to be a number of false claims in the media when Laudato Sii is released. The panel — James, Helen, Don and Gavin — also talk about the changing demographics of Kiwis, new measures to hold bishops accountable for failing to protect children and the “Yes” vote to same-sex marriage in Ireland. And the show ends with a reflection on TV’s 1980s hard man Mr T and his Christian faith. Enjoy the show.

The Pope conducting a mass wedding ceremony is usually grounds enough for big news, but when some of the couples are announced to have been cohabiting and having had children before tying the knot, it creates even more headlines. Lucy, James and Gavin are on the case, wrestling with the tricky issue, as well as looking at Archbishop John Dew’s reflection on the state of New Zealand politics, a willingness for more NZ victims of clerical sex abuse to come forward and Pope Francis’s latest first — an international Google Hangout with a group of young people. The show concludes with an uplifting story of grace under difficult circumstances. Enjoy the show.

In the July 2014 episode of The 15th Station, Lucy, James and Gavin venture from the sad to the joyous, the sacramental to the sporting, the saintly to the shady. Pope Francis’s meeting with sex abuse victims, the promotion of Baptism for students in Catholic schools and the Pope’s excommunication of the mafia are all covered in this show. The panel also covers the papal World Cup Final — between Benedict’s Germany and Francis’s Argentina — and discusses the efforts that may lead to New Zealand’s first saint. Learn more about the film How Far is Heavenby clicking here.

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The 15th Station is our active monthly news podcast. We get a panel of Kiwi Catholics together to provide a Catholic perspective on the news and current events of the month.

Catechiwi is our archived catechesis podcast where we get a guest theologian from around the country or the world to speak on an aspect of the Catholic Faith.

Ignition leverages our partnerships with organisations like Hearts Aflame to provide a back catalogue of amazing lectures and talks from international speakers. We divide these talks up into multi-part podcasts.